• Eguisheim - The epitome of "picturesque", this walled, oval, ancient town is covered in flowers from wall to wall.
• Ribeauvillé - Charming, beautiful, and full of good restaurants, shops, stork nests, and warm friendly people. Well located for discovering Alsace, about halfway between Strasbourg and Mulhouse.

• Strasbourg gothic cathedral - Superb stained glass, astronomical clock with moving figures (12:20 p.m. - get there at least 30 minutes early for a good spot in front), beautiful Pietá in side altar.
• Church of Pope Leo in Eguisheim - Charming small church with trompe l'oeil frescoes behind the altar and on the ceiling, and nice stained glass. Deposit 2 FF in the box for superb lighting.
• Gothic cathedral in Rouffach - An undiscovered, unrestored medieval gem hiding in a typical, quaint Alsatian town. Lots of art treasures in a quiet, peaceful atmosphere.

• Haut Koenigsberg - one of the best restored castles in the region. Great views from the top and lots of history.

• Tarte à l'oignon - Like a pizza with onions but no tomato sauce. A tantalizing specialty of the region, along with...
• Tarte flambée - Another tomato-less Alsatian pizza, this one with cheese and little bits of ham.
• Kugelhopf - A delicious regional specialty: sweet yet light bread, filled with raisins. C'est si bon!

Les Vosges, 2 Grand' Rue, 68150 Ribeauvillé, FRANCE.
Tel: +(33).89.73.61.39
Fax: +(33).89.73.34.21
Would we stay here again? Definitely

Prices are quite affordable, ranging from 270 to 395 FF for a double room. The breakfast in the elegant dining room is generous and delicious and they even have an elevator! If you plan to stay awhile or have a large family, be sure to ask for the small apartment with its own little kitchenette. And if you're driving, there's a municipal parking lot right next door that's free in the evenings and all night.

Three days isn't nearly enough for all that Alsace has to offer. The region is a bicyclist's heaven, a hiker's delight, a wine lover's paradise, a gourmand's utopia, and a Shangri-la for anyone who loves beauty, flowers, castles, art, or ancient churches. This was our third trip to the region and we still have so much more to see.

We have yet to visit the Éco-Musée, an open-air museum filled with relocated old houses of the region, or the Isenheim altarpiece in Colmar that all the guide books say is a master work of art. And there are miles of trails in the Vosges mountains that are waiting to feel our footprints.

Previous trips have taken us to Kaysersberg, another beautiful town. On our way to see Dr. Albert Schweitzer's birthplace we stopped in by chance at the parish church of Sainte Croix and saw an incredible carved altar depicting the story of the Passion. We would not have wanted to miss that. We've also enjoyed Colmar, with its canals and cathedral, as well as many other smaller villages along the Route du Vin. For more information, check out our page on Alsace on this web site.

Don't try to do it all in one trip. Take time to enjoy what you can. For the pure uniqueness of the region, be sure to see Eguisheim. Have some kugelhopf and a glass of wine. And make plans to return soon.